A’Ibom govt set up negotiation committee over labour demands

Akpan Umoh

The Akwa Ibom Government has set up negotiation Committee to consider the 13 points demands by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the State.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Ini Ememobong.

Our Correspondent recalls that The Nigeria Labour Congress, Akwa Ibom on Oct. 20 handed a 14-day ultimatum to Gov. Udom Emmanuel to tackle all issues bordering on the welfare of workers in the state.

The Organised Labour in a communique jointly signed by the Chairman of NLC in the state, Comrade Sunny James, and Acting Secretary, Comrade Iboro Ibara, threatened to mobilised its members for an indefinite strike if the issues were not addressed within the period.

The NLC listed some of their demands to include payment of 2020 leave grant to all civil servants: 2018 to 2020 leave grant to workers in the Local Government Service and 2015, 2017 to 2020 leave grant to Primary School Teachers.

Ememobong in the statement said that the committee would be headed on the government side by Mr Ephraim Inyangeyen, Chief of Staff to the Governor, assisted by Mr Effiong Essien,  Head of Service and Mr Sunny Ibuot, Commissioner for Labour and Manpower Planning.

He added that the labour side would be headed by the State NLC Chairman, Comrade Sunny James assisted by the NLC Secretary and Treasurer, Comrade Iboro Ibara, Comrade Effiong Nya, respectively and the representative of the Joint Public Sector Negotiation Committee,Comrade Tina Essien.

“A joint Government and Labour committee to negotiate issues affecting the Labour force in the state has been set up.

“The committee is headed on the government side by  the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr Ephraim Inyangeyen, assisted by the Head of the Civil Service, Mr Effiong Essien and the Honourable Commissioner for Labour and manpower planning, Mr Sunny Ibuot.

He said that the committee was to negotiate the 13 points demands by labour and report back to government within 30 days. Ememobong said that the leader of the government team, Inyangeyen has promised that the government representatives would apply utmost good faith in the pursuit of the objectives of the committee.